A New Game
by WichitaRed
Summary: Having escaped from the wayward home, the two cousins did well moving from town to town using scams, gambling and odd jobs but moving into their late adolescents this isn't working so well anymore as a close brush proves, so it is time to figure out a new game plan for them to survive.


"Tarnation Heyes, you think after all this time you'd realize sitting in on a game with the wrong men ain't no different than walking into a burning barn." Jedediah "Kid" Curry grumbled, "How could you've been such a fool anyways?"

His grumblings raised no response, except now the silence seemed to settle around them like a cold, wet blanket. Seeing Heyes's stiff back, he thought, 'I really oughta keep my big mouth shut. Heyes is already in one of his moods and badgering him sure as hell ain't gonna help either one of us.' With a long sigh, the Kid fell back into his own thoughts until the constant splash of their horses trudging up the river began wearing on his nerves. Turning his blue-eyes to the high, soft dirt banks fencing them in, Jed swallowed hard thinking, 'I don't like this.' Pulling up his horse, he turned to get a better look at the silvery plains far below, 'Ain't nothing moving down there, I'm certain we're safe and oughta turn our efforts to finding a spot to bed down.' Nudging his horse to catch up he planned to tell Heyes just this, when he saw his cousin hunched down in his threadbare coat until it was stretched taunt across his bony shoulders. 'I reckon we could go a bit further but I gotta make him understand, he taking risks like he did back there, just ain't agreeable with me.' Drifting in and out of sleep Kid nearly hit the ground when all at once his horse let go with a mighty shake. Clutching leather, he pulled himself back into place, hollering, "Heyes, how much longer you plan on keeping us moving?" And still, not one word floated back from his partner and feeling his hackles raise the Kid urged his dun up to block the swayback gelding, he had been following for the most part of the past 24 hours, "Well?"

Heyes did not bother responding, only hauled on his reins to move his horse around the Kid.

"Heyes I'm done with this . . . talk to me." The Kid barked driving his horse in so close, his knee ground into Heyes's leg.

Heyes turned, hitting Jed with the same hard stare, he had been using on him for years, whenever he needed him to back down.

Jed's eyes narrowed like a resentful child, 'I ain't doing it this time. I cannot stand when he shuts me out along with the rest of the world.' Reaching across the gap separating them, Jed jabbed a rigid finger into his cousin's chest, "Hannibal Heyes we up and been through too much for you to ever shut me out. Like I said I'm done with it and I know, you know, I'm right." the Kid growled accenting each of his words with a jab.

Staring down at the finger poking him Heyes's mouth twisted but with a sigh he let his anger go and half-heartedly shoved the Kid away, pulling off his well-worn hat he scratched at his head. Turning the hat in his hands, he noticed how brilliantly his silver ring shone in the moonlight, 'I should've sold my ring for cash rather than sitting in on that game.' he thought, placing the hat firmly back on his head as an image of him tugging the ring from his Father's cold hand rose up. Jerking as if hit, he shook his head scattering the dark memory. 'No the ring is all I have left. Damn it to hell, I'm tired of being a nobody, tired of being destitute, hell I'm just plain tired through and through.' Glancing up at Jed's gaunt, troubled face, he felt a part of him break, 'I gave the Kid my word that I would take care of him and most nights he goes to sleep hungry.' A frown creased his face, 'Hellfire, I've been doing the best I can. Does he want me to admit, I was wrong for sitting down with those men. Maybe. But we needed, still do _need_ the money. And, yes I knew those men were dangerous. I could read it all over them but they were also sloppy players with a lot of money.' Thinking of the notes piled on that table, his dark eyes trailed over their too small, worn out clothing, the nags they were riding and he felt utterly incompetent, "Jed, _we need_ a grubstake. You been complaining since we reached the mountains, so tell me, what exactly do you want?"

"Well you could at least say thanks since I up and saved your hide, again." Jed had not been planning to gouge his cousin. Except, the truth was he had been protecting him a lot of late; it almost felt like Heyes was purposely placing himself in chancy arrangements. The deep fury radiating from Heyes would have caused anyone to step back, anyone that is other than Jed, who through their years together had become immune to his cousin's anger.

"Fine Jed. Thanks! Thanks for saving me _yet_ _again_." Heyes hissed setting his horse to walking but before the animal took three steps away, he pulled him up. "Kid – I apologize. I shouldn't take it out on you. I know you're right and I have to figure out a new game for us. These scams are going to be the-." He broke off swallowing hard. "Jed we're too old to play the parts of most of our scams now and when I sit down to a card game I look like a cheat." He said flipping at his raggedy coat with one hand while looking imploring at his younger cousin, "Kid." He swallowed again. "I'm tired, dog-tired. I really ain't got anything else to say so if you could leave off sermonizing me for a bit, I sure would appreciate it." At this, he urged his bony old horse out of the water, sending him down the hill where a thick cover of pines met a blanket of tall grass. Standing on the edge of the trees black shadows, his haunted brown eyes lifted from his cousin slowly coming down the incline, back up to the way they had come, 'Surely they gave up by now.' He thought, gingerly touching the rope burns along the tender skin of his neck. 'How did it all go so wrong, so quick? And, their reasoning . . . damn their reasoning. I was too young to be such a good poker player without cheating. I never cheat at poker and I told them so.'

Riding up alongside, Kid saw the corner of Heyes's mouth was turned down and he was sucking at his front teeth, lying a hand on his cousin's shoulder he said, "Telling them you weren't a cheat didn't do you the least bit of good. Huh?"

"Yeah." Heyes breathed out, looking down at his hands, "Jed, if you hadn't stepped in-" His tongue darted out across his lower lip, feeling the swollen split there.

"It's alright partner."

"No it ain't." Heyes snapped looking over at him through a full-blown black eye. "If you hadn't returned when you did, I would be dead. Hard to believe I'm too young to be a good poker player but not too young to hang from the rafters of a squalid, sod-house saloon."

"Have you considered the location of the game might've been part of your problem Heyes?"

Heyes closed his eyes, his dimples carving deeply into his cheeks as he sucked his lips in.

Gripping Heyes's shoulder, Kid said, "Hannibal, I will always be there to back you up. You suppose this is one of them, life lesson's Grandpa Curry used to speak of, if so I learned I ain't ever separating the two of us in an unpleasant setting again."

A grin slowly took over Heyes's face, "I also learned I sure am grateful to have a partner who can draw faster than a stray dog snatching up scraps and while doing so hitting everything he aimed at too."

An embarrassed smile tightened across Jed's face.

"But Jed, I'm serious we've got to find another way to survive. One that ain't so risky, where we no longer wind up in such seedy establishments."

"Well you figure it out and I'll be right there with you."

Heyes gave him a grateful smile before kicking his horse into a slow trot out across the whispering grass when the wailing whistle of a train sang out from the uninhabited darkness. Heyes turned toward the direction; he felt the sound came from, just as the yellow light of an engine emerged from around a hillock, illuminating a small herd of buffalo crossing the tracks. The pealing scream of the whistle as the train slowed, jarred free memories of tales he had heard of bushwhackers during the war and slowly a smile crept across his face, "Kid, I got me an idea."

The long grass itched at his face as he lay watching the Kansas-Pacific crew walking about chatting and smoking while the fireman climbed the water tank to fill the engine's tender box. While watching their every move, he counted off the minutes in his head while sweat slid down his back from the sun boring down on him from above. Feeling the Kid fidgeting next to him, Heyes hit him with a well-aimed kick, "Be still."

At length, the crew loaded up and the train hissed, belched black smoke and rolled on. "Right around twenty minutes, just like the others." Heyes stated more to himself then to his partner.

"How many more trains you gonna make us lay here and watch?" Jed asked, rising up on his elbows as the tail end of the K-P train rattled away.

"This is the last one, I swear."

"Heyes I still don't care for this plan." Kid said flipping over on his back to stare up at the blue, blue sky above them. "If we head down to Texas, we could hire on with a herd heading north."

Heyes ignored his cousin, thinking through every detail of his plan yet again.

Looking over at him the Kid frowned, "You ain't even listening to me. Are you?"

Heyes exhaled letting his face fall forward into the dry, sweet grass. I hear you Kid been hearing you for the past week. But, you ain't hearing me because I keep saying; I have no intentions of riding herd again. There are very few appointments in this world I dislike as much as pushing cattle."

Plucking a piece of wild clover Jed rolled the stem between his teeth, "This sounds chancy."

"What parts of our lives . . . since our farms were raided hasn't been chancy?" Heyes said sarcastically, pushing himself down the hill so he could stand up out of sight of the railway line. "Listen Kid, we do this and we'll have our grubstake and-." He stretched arching his back until it popped. "I'll let you choose what we do next. But this plan is mine and we are following it through."

"Heyes it is always your plan. I only get a say so when you need my gun hand."

Heyes spun around throwing his hat in the dirt, "WHAT do you _want_ from me?" he hollered his voice cracking.

"I want to go herd cattle." Kid hollered right back.

"I don't want anything to do with cattle. Can't get that through your thick skull?"

"Well I'm tired of eating jackrabbits and living out here with only you to talk too."

"Well, _partner_, I feel the same and as soon as we accomplish my plan this will all change."

"Oh you mean I'm going to miraculously get a say so and you're really going to break off being the boss of me every dragging minute of the day. Is that how all this is fixing to change?"

Heyes growled deep in his chest, pursed his lips and looked away taking a deep breath, "Jed you are just worn down, just like I am. Trust me. You'll feel differently once you get a good meal, hot bath, and a bed to sleep in."

"I might but Heyes, since I spend a good deal more time bailing you out of difficulties than your willing to admit, I reckon you ought to cease informing me of what I should and shouldn't do."

Rolling his eyes, Heyes walked over, digging in his pocket and pulling out a silver coin, he grabbed the Kid's hand slapping the coin in it as he walked on by to go grab his hat. "Fine, I'll stop making choices and we'll use that to determine outcomes in future." Bending to pick up his hat from the ground, he was surprised when the Kid grabbed him by the shoulder as he stood up.

"I can't take this. It is your '60 Liberty, you took it the same night you stole you Pa's ring out of the headmaster's safe. It's you lucky coin, I can't take it."

Heyes's eyebrows went up and he grinned broadly at the Kid, "I ain't giving it to you. You just hold on to it for me cause after it assists in that new choice were going make, I get it back."

Kid frowned, his eyebrows drooping sadly, "You're conning me Heyes. I've seen you use that same expression on others."

Heyes blew out, his bangs ruffling from the out flow of air, "I ain't conning you Jed. We follow through here and you get to make the next decision."

"You sure about this Heyes?" Kid said looking at the coin again.

"Yup." Heyes said patting him on the shoulder and heading back to camp, never looking to see if Jed was following him because he knew the Kid always followed him.

Buried under long grass with small bugs crawling along various parts of his body, the Kid found it was taking everything he had not to shoot up out of his hiding spot, "Heyes how much longer?

"Not long."

"Heyes you sure about this?"

"You've been asking that same question a lot lately?"

"Cause it keeps running around in my head."

"Well, I'm sure. This will work. Take a breather from all your worrying."

"It's my worrying that has saved our bacon many a time . . . so you sure you want me to take a break."

"Maybe not." Heyes said snorting dust or a bug out of his nose, he was not sure which, while thinking, 'I hope I'm right about this." Then feeling the ground beneath them starting to vibrate, he turned enough to see the Kid's bright blue eyes. "Jed you got to trust me, this will work. Are you with me?"

Jed's face became serious, his thick golden brows angling low over his eyes. Watching him, waiting for his answer, Heyes felt his chest tighten. The train was upon them, he licked his lips waiting for Jed's reply, his stomach beginning to swirl with nervousness. The shriek of the brakes was deafening and Heyes plugged his ears, protecting his hearing. Once the sparks, flying rocks and noise settled he pulled his hands down still watching the Kid, who at last nodded to him. Seeing this he flashed his cousin a dimpled smile, his uneasiness turning to excitement.

A fog bank of steam floated away from the engine as the Kansas Pacific employees leaped from the cars, talking and inspecting both the train and the area. Then Heyes and Kid heard the same knock, they had heard all those times watching the train. Heyes grinned as the cumbersome roll of the express car's door opening rumbled across the isolated valley.

"Mike it is hot in here today." The express man said jumping down and from their position Heyes and Curry could see his legs along with most of the others walking straight toward the watering tank.

Shifting, Heyes slinked up from the grass covering him. "Wait . . ." He whispered placing a hand on the Kid's chest when his boot crunched on the rock bed. "Wait until the water is flowing into the tender, it'll cover any noise we make."

Kid frowned, feeling exposed under the late golden rays of the sun, "Why ain't we doing this under cover of darkness?"

"Cause we still got them long shadows to hide in and we can see everyone else." Heyes said flashing a smile. But it was the smile Heyes flung out when he was thinking how much smarter he was then everyone else and seeing it, Jed felt his insides start to boil.

Scanning up and down the line Heyes saw no movement on their side and looking back at Jed he sighed rolling his eyes while grabbing the sides of the Kid's shirt, he untucked it. "I told you to have your gun covered when we got on the train."

"Yeah, well I can't use it that way." Kid growled knocking his cousin's hands away from him.

"You're not going to use it." Heyes shook his head. "If they catch us let me do all the talking and you just stand there looking young and dumb and keeping that gun covered. Understand."

Kid's blue eyes turned dark, "You sure abou-"

"Yes." Heyes grunted, heading up the slope, edging along in the inky shadow between the cars, he thought, 'I don't hear the Kid. Is he with me?" But just as he was turning to check, he felt Jed at his back and a weak watery smile creased his face, 'first time I ever doubted him.' Heyes brows scrunched into a deep v as he heard his cousin's words in his mind, 'you sure about this?' Refocusing himself he muttered, "I am."

"What?" Kid hissed.

Heyes shook his head, laying a hand briefly on Jed's leg before slipping along the false darkness to the express car. Taking a quick survey, he dropped his hands giving the Kid a foot up, then handing him their bedrolls and saddlebags, he held up his hand to have Jed haul him in.

The car was crowded with luggage, large crates and at one end sat a massive safe, seeing it Heyes smiled, "Alright you know what to do once we're rolling good and fast down the railway lines."

"Yes, no need to tell me again Heyes." The Kid said tossing their gear and his hat behind some crates. Frowning deeply at Heyes, he took a moment to tuck his shirttails in.

"It was for your own good."

"Humph." Kid grunted ducking behind the crates.

Moving to the opposite end of the car, Heyes eyes roved over the large chair attached to the floor with metal straps and seeing the ingenuity, he nodded, climbing down to hide behind a pile of steamer trunks. He could feel his heart beating like it wanted to leap out of his body, 'I will do this. I'll open this safe just like I did the headmaster's and then we'll have the stake we need to get on with our lives.'

"I see ya in Pilot Knob." The express man said climbing back into his car.

"Ansel." A voice called and the express man leaned out the door.

"_Danke_[1], _danke_, I would have been very much cursing myself later." Ansel said setting a dinner pail next to his bag. Then to a chorus of goodbyes, he rolled the door shut, throwing its locks in place. Turning he sighed, "Four more hours and I am off duty for a week." Picking his book up from the top of his bag, Ansel heaved himself into the chair his feet popping up onto a crate in the same movement, "Well now Oliver let us see how your life turns out." He said opening the book as a violent wrench shook the train and it began to pick up speed, the swaying rhythm steadily increasing. Ansel slouched further into the chair settling deeper into his reading.

Standing as silently as a stretching cat, the Kid coughed, "Ah Hem."

Lowering his book not really believing he had heard a noise, Ansel looked over the top of it in shock at a well-oiled Colt aimed at his mid-section. Closing his book, he shook his head, "What ya be thinking junge_**[2]**_?"

"Sir, I be needing you to stand up and place your hands behind your back."

Ansel's gray eyes roved over JedCurry's skinny frame settling on the bright blue eyes situated behind a light smattering of freckles, "When ya eat last _junge_?"

"That has nothing to do with the here and now of you doing as I ask." Kid said taking a step forward then taking the same step backwards thinking, 'I ain't supposed to get close enough for him to get his hands on me.' His eyes flicked back to where Heyes was hiding, 'and I ain't supposed to give Heyes away either then I'll have a surprise in store if I need one.' Refocusing on the still reclining man, he frowned. "Sir, you stand up right now or might be forced to do more than either of us want."

"Ya going to shoot me _junge_?" The man said rolling forward, dropping his feet to the floor and resting his elbows on his knees. "I do not believe ya will. Go on and put that gun down and we will have a peaceable chat while sharing my dinner bucket."

Kid's face rippled with emotion, 'He ain't a bad sort. He ain't trying to hurt me like others. I don't know I don't feel right holding a gun on him." His blue eyes darted left and right trying to make up his mind on how to get this man to obey him.

"Ya look to be Irish _junge? _Is ya alone – lost ya family?"

Seeing further doubt cloud the young boy's eyes, Ansel moved in a streak, flinging his book at the Kid's face as he leapt for him. His fingers were just brushing the Kid's front when he felt a cold hard jab in the back of his neck.

"I would stand real still if I was you." Heyes said his voice sounding more cold and lethal than the Remington in his hand.

"Ah." Ansel almost moaned his gray eyes dimming. "So you must be Fagin [3]."

"Excuse me?" Heyes asked his adolescent voice cracking as he did.

A fighter's smile distorted on Ansel's face and bending over he ran backwards knocking them both to the ground. The gun went clattering into a wall and twisting Ansel had his attacker under him, forcing his forearm down on his neck; he planted a knee in his belly. The combo of which forced an awkward squawk out of Heyes.

Seeing red, the Kid jumped forward slamming the long barrel of his Navy Colt across the back of Ansel's head. "Get off him!"

Shaking his head, Ansel huffed, "Ah young one, this is touchy is it not? I push harder and I crush his throat. I think ya do best to walk around here where I can see you _junge_." A drop of blood slid down Ansel's neck to splash onto Heyes's pale cheek. Seeing it and the fear in the boy's dark-brown eyes, he frowned. "Come now _junge, _we both knows ya is not a man-killer."

Doing as told, Jed stepped around the pair but when he squatted, he leveled his gun at Ansel's forehead, "Sir you will want to be stepping back off my cousin."

Ansel's head lifted, placing him eye-to-eye with the Kid's fierce face.

"He be the only the family I got and I don't aim to lose him." The double click of his converted Colt sounded louder than the rumbling wheels of the train. "So you may want to move 'cause I'm a hairs breadth from proving you wrong."

Seeing darkness rising in the boy, Ansel released his hold tumbling to the side, "Easy, easy _junge_."

Choking and gasping for air, Heyes shoved himself backwards into the wall, bracing against it he climbed to his feet.

Now sir, you rise up and sit yourself down in that chair." Kid said no softness showing in his baby blue eyes.

Once Heyes had him tied, he stood up rubbing at his belly.

"I apologize." The Kid said his eyes glassy.

Heyes croaked, "I'm fine." Tenderly feeling of the rope burns around his throat that had only just begun to heal, "Bit sore. But fine." Looking about, he scooped up his pistol sliding it back in his holster and seeing Ansel's canteen he picked it up taking a long draw.

"You sure?" Kid asked his eyes brimming with remorse.

"Yeah." Heyes grinned handing him the canteen and stooping he picked up the book sprawled on the floor, 'OliverTwist by CharlesDickens . . . hmmm wouldn't mind reading this.' He thought placing the book alongside Ansel's bag.

All the while, Ansel's gray eyes watched him, "What ya _zwei _[4]be wanting? I can see you is the one in charge of bringing this child to ruination."

Heyes's expression drooped, the man's words reaping up a soul rending sadness in Heyes that dimmed his eyes and seeing it, the Kid broke into a tight smile, "Partner, we know the truth. Don't you be listening none to him."

Heyes nodded curtly, flipping open the book, seeing the name Fagin, his forehead creased, He slanted an eye at their prisoner before setting the book down.

Red cheeked, blood draining from his head wound, Ansel casually tested the strength of his bindings, "Ya _junges _would have done much better stealing a ride on any other car. When we pull into the station, ya are going to have a lot of explaining to do. Don't ya _zwei_ realize you are in the express car?"

"After watching trains for a week, I should hope we landed in the correct car or Heyes there is far worse at making plans then he thinks."

"Kid! What did I say about names?"

He shrugged, ducking his head.

Rolling his eyes, Heyes walked over to stand in front of Ansel, "We're here to rob you." Heyes said in a voice which sounded far more chipper then he felt.

"I see. Well, I have-"He canted his eyes up figuring. "Thirty-five dollars, ya untie me some, we will share my dinner bucket, have a conversation about this sinful road ya is choosing. How would ya _Mutters__**[5]**_feel about what ya is doing?"

Heyes and Curry exchanged a quick look.

"Ah, as I thought they has taught ya stealing is wrong."

Kid looked down at his pistol lying in his lap, "Sometimes we just have too-"

"Kid, ain't no need to tell him." Heyes said picking up their saddlebags. "And, we ain't here to rob you personally Mister. We're here for the safe."

"Oh." Ansel nodded. "Well then that is different. I will not be giving you the combination."

"That is fine because I _will_ _not_ need it." Heyes said laying their saddlebags on top of the safe.

"Here here." Ansel yelped trying to scootch backward. "Ya is not planning on blowing the safe with us in here. Ya will kill us all."

"What kind of fool do you take me for?" Heyes said in disbelief, his young voice cracking again. "I personally will open the safe."

Ansel gave began to smile.

"You'll see. Hannibal learned how when we was at Val—"  
"Kid . . . ." Heyes sighed slapping a hand over his face. "For someone who complains about me talking all the time, you're sure running on. How about you hesh up and keep our past to us?" he said sitting down cross-legged beside the safe and placing his ear to it, he spun the dial.

The car fell silent with both Kid and Ansel staring at Heyes as he slipped away, separating himself from the sounds of the train and focusing in on the soft taps of the safe's mechanisms. He was well settled into the task when Kid cleared his throat, "Heyes you sure—"

Heyes sat up throwing his hands in the air, "Yes! Yes, I am sure!" He snapped laying a hard glare on Kid who looked away with a crooked grin.

Closing his eyes, Heyes worked harder to tune out the world around him when the Kid's stomach growled so loud it sounded like a bobcat going on the defensive.

"Apologize." Kid mumbled.

Inhaling deeply, Heyes breathed in and out, calming his self before leaning in to listen, turning the wheel he breathed shallowly, waiting for the magical click.

"Groooowwwwllllll" Kid's stomach roared louder.

"Hey Kid, ya eat my dinner."

The Kid shook his head, "I'll eat when we're done here."

"_Nein__**[6]**__, _ya look like ya have not had a decent meal in weeks. Neither one of ya look like ya eat steady. Go ahead; I will have dinner in town."

"Grrrrrroooowwwllll." Kid smiled shyly, "If you're sure."

"I am."

"Good! Now would you shut your pans before I'm forced to gag you both just so I can hear myself think!" Heyes roared.

Kid and Ansel jumped, their eyes popping wide.

"Either of you feel like being gagged?" Heyes looked from one to the other and they both shook their heads. "Then give me some silence." Turning back to the safe, he let go a shuddering breath trying to still his racing anger before placing his ear to the metal. The safe's front was now warm beneath his face from his touch and breath, he felt truly connected to it.

Finishing off every crumb in the pail, the Kid smiled gratefully to Ansel but saw the man was watching his cousin intently as Heyes was in the process of scratching a second number on the front of the safe with a chalk stub, he kept in his vest pocket. Ansel shook his head then looked to the Kid who now displaying a full toothy grin. It had been a long time since he felt any true pride and watching Heyes at work made him swell up.

Heyes dark eyes flicked up at the two numbers on the safe front, he spun the dial again then whispering "32 right, 46 left, 76 right." He tensed his hand hovering over the handle; wiping his face, he grabbed the handle shoving it down. The locks clanked loudly in the boxcar, where all three of them were holding their breaths. "See Kid, I told you I was sure." Heyes hooted, opening the door he dug out piles of railroad papers, deeds, and a small stack of bills. He frowned, sweeping a hand across the bottom of the large empty safe.

Ansel shrugged, "Sometime them safes is loaded full and sometimes they is like this. Never can tell."

Heyes was counting the stack, "There is $2,555 here." He grinned at Kid. "What did I tell you?" He stood, depositing the money in his saddlebag. "Clothes that fit, food enough to fill you and good horses, too." As he began buckling the bag shut, he spied the Dicken's book lying there and shoved it in the bag pulling out five dollars. "Here." He said placing the bill in Ansel's vest pocket, "I want to know who this Fagin is."

"Well I is glad I will not be around when ya read the tale." Ansel said. "So ya _zwei_ will be leaving me now."

"Yup." Heyes unhooked the locks, slinging the heavy rail car door open. The night was rolling by and the fresh air circled around inside the car swirling the deeds and papers.

"Here here." Ansel hollered seeing the important documents scattering.

Kid laughed, hopping off the crate, he scooped them up tossing them back in the safe and slamming it shut before went to sit alongside his cousin at the door opening. "I ain't looking forward to jumping Heyes."

"Well, we ain't going to jump till the train slows for a grade. Just remember to ball up before landing." He said laying an arm across Jed's shoulders, "It won't be much worse then be bucked off a running horse."

Kid frowned, "But that is how you broke your right arm when we were kids."

"Well then you should've learned something from my mistake." Heyes said warmly his brown eyes sparking with good humor and the Kid could not help but laugh and smile back at his cousin.

Ansel turned his head, seeing the boys, he hollered, "Heyes." The dark eyes and dimpled grin turned his way, "Ya take care of ya cousin. Ya need him as much as he needs ya."

"You're right on the money there, Ansel, he's all I got." He beamed at the Kid before looking back to Ansel to say, "I apologize if this gets you in hot water."

Ansel shook his head, "_Nien_ it is all insured and ya _zwei _were real polite robbers." He looked down at the dried blood on his shirtfront, "for the most part."

The train headed up hill, the engine sounding labored, coal dust skittered along the rail car roofs as the fireman poured on fuel trying to maintain the head of steam, but the train still slowed and feeling it do so, the two young bandits stood, waved to Ansel once and the leapt into the night.

"Hannibal Heyes and the Kid." Ansel said aloud to himself. "Bet it is not the last time I will hear them names."

* * *

[1] German – Thanks

[2] German - boy

[3]CharlesDicken's Novel Oliver Twist Character: He is the leader of a group of children, whom he teaches to make their livings by pick pocketing and other criminal activities in exchange for a roof over their heads.

[4] German - two

[5] German - Mother

[6] German - No


End file.
